Method and system for use in configuring multiple near field antenna systems

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments provide a method of configuring a near field wireless network are provided, comprising: identifying a plurality of near field antenna systems including a first, second and third antenna systems, wherein the first antenna system is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE) device and the second antenna system is cooperated with a second CE device, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systems comprises a power transfer antenna and one or more communications antennas; receiving wireless coupling parameters corresponding to the antenna systems; determining wireless coupling configurations configured to dictate which of the antenna systems each of the first, second and third antenna systems is to directly communicate with; and initiating a communication of one or more configuration instructions directing each of the plurality of antenna systems to be configured in accordance with the determined wireless coupling configurations.

This application relates to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/290,409, filedon May 29, 2014, for McCoy et al., and entitled PORTABLE DEVICE TOPORTABLE DEVICE WIRELESS POWER TRANSFER METHODS AND SYSTEMS (AttorneyDocket No. 9212-132381-US), and U.S. application Ser. No. 14/290,429,filed on May 29, 2014, for Milne et al., and entitled SCALABLE ANTENNASYSTEM (Attorney Docket No.: 9212-132793-US), all of which areincorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to consumer electronic devices,and more specifically to powering portable consumer electronic devices.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

The number and types of consumer electronic devices continues toincrease. Further, many of these consumer electronic devices areportable. As such, battery power is often critical.

In many instances, a user may have to limit their use of a devicebecause of limited remaining power. Similarly, a user may be unable toeffectively use a device because of a lack of power stored on thedevice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Several embodiments of the invention advantageously address the needsabove as well as other needs by providing methods, processes,apparatuses and systems of configuring networks. In some embodiments,methods of configuring a near field wireless network are provided,comprising: identifying a plurality of near field wireless antennasystems including a first antenna system, a second antenna system and athird antenna system, wherein at least the first antenna system iscooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE) device and the secondantenna system is cooperated with a separate second CE device, whereineach of the plurality of antenna systems comprises a power transferantenna and one or more communications antennas, wherein the powertransfer antennas is configured to enable wireless electrical powertransfer between the power transfer antenna and at least one other powertransfer antenna of another one of the plurality of antenna systems, andwherein each of the one or more communications antennas is configured toenable wirelessly transmitting and receiving communications with atleast one communications antenna of another one of the plurality ofantenna systems over distances consistent with those to achieve wirelesselectrical power transfer through the power transfer antenna; receivingwireless coupling parameters corresponding to each of the plurality ofantenna systems; determining, based on the wireless coupling parameters,wireless coupling configurations corresponding to at least the first,second and third antenna systems, wherein the wireless couplingconfigurations dictate which one or more of the plurality of antennasystems each of at least the first, second and third antenna systems ofthe plurality of antenna systems is to directly communicate with; andinitiating a communication of one or more configuration instructionsdirecting each of the plurality of antenna systems to be configured inaccordance with the determined wireless coupling configurations.

Further, some embodiments provide an apparatus for use in configuring anear field wireless network, comprising: memory storing executable code;and one or more processors configured to execute at least some of theexecutable code, such that the processor when implementing theexecutable code is configured to: identify a plurality of near fieldwireless antenna systems including a first antenna system, a secondantenna system and a third antenna system, wherein at least the firstantenna system is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE)device and the second antenna system is cooperated with a separatesecond CE device, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systemscomprises a power transfer antenna and one or more communicationsantennas, wherein the power transfer antennas is configured to enablewireless electrical power transfer between the power transfer antennaand at least one other power transfer antenna of another one of theplurality of antenna systems, and wherein each of the one or morecommunications antennas is configured to enable wirelessly transmittingand receiving communications with at least one communications antenna ofanother one of the plurality of antenna systems over distancesconsistent with those to achieve wireless electrical power transferthrough the power transfer antenna; receive wireless coupling parameterscorresponding to each of the plurality of antenna systems; determine,based on the wireless coupling parameters, wireless couplingconfigurations corresponding to at least the first, second and thirdantenna systems, wherein the wireless coupling configurations dictatewhich one or more of the plurality of antenna systems each of at leastthe first, second and third antenna systems of the plurality of antennasystems is to directly communicate with; and initiate a communication ofone or more configuration instructions directing each of the pluralityof antenna systems to be configured in accordance with the determinedwireless coupling configurations.

Some embodiments provide an antenna system configured to operate withina consumer electronic device, comprising: a first power transfer antennacooperated with the frame, wherein the power transfer antenna isconfigured to enable at least one of wirelessly receiving electricalpower from another consumer electronic device and wirelesslytransmitting electrical power to another consumer electronic device; afirst communications antenna configured to wirelessly transmit andreceive communications with one or more other near field wirelessantenna systems cooperated of one or more remote consumer electronicdevices over distances; and a controller configured to: identify aplurality of near field wireless antenna systems including a secondremote antenna system and a third remote antenna system, wherein atleast the second remote antenna system is cooperated with a separatesecond consumer electronic device of the one or more remote consumerelectronic devices, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systemscomprises one or more communications antennas; receive wireless couplingparameters corresponding to each of the plurality of antenna systems;determine, based on the wireless coupling parameters, wireless couplingconfigurations corresponding to at least the antenna system, the secondremote antenna system and the third remote antenna systems, wherein thewireless coupling configurations dictate which one or more of theplurality of antenna systems each of at least the antenna system, thesecond remote antenna system and the third remote antenna system is todirectly communicate with; and initiate a communication of one or moreconfiguration instructions directing each of the plurality of antennasystems to be configured in accordance with the determined wirelesscoupling configurations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of severalembodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from thefollowing more particular description thereof, presented in conjunctionwith the following drawings.

FIG. 1A shows a simplified block diagram of two portable consumerelectronic (CE) devices positions proximate each other, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 1B illustrates multiple CE devices positioned proximate each other,in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2A shows a representation of two exemplary smart phone portableconsumer electronic (CE) devices positions proximate each other, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2B shows a representation of multiple exemplary portable consumerelectronic (CE) devices positions proximate each other, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified plane view of an exemplary antenna system,in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 shows a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process ofconfiguring a near field wireless network of multiple CE devices, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 shows a representation of multiple CE devices capable of forminga near field wireless network while one or more of the CE devices arecoupled with one or more remote CE devices through a distributednetwork, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 depicts a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process ofdiscovering one or more antenna systems, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 7 depicts a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process ofdiscovering one or more antenna systems and/or CE devices in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary system for use in implementing methods,techniques, devices, apparatuses, systems, servers, sources and the likein providing user interactive virtual environments in accordance withsome embodiments.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding componentsthroughout the several views of the drawings. Skilled artisans willappreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicityand clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example,the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements to help to improve understanding of variousembodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understoodelements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasibleembodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a lessobstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but ismade merely for the purpose of describing the general principles ofexemplary embodiments. The scope of the invention should be determinedwith reference to the claims.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “some embodiments,” “some implementations” or similarlanguage means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases“in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” andsimilar language throughout this specification may, but do notnecessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details areprovided, such as examples of programming, software modules, userselections, network transactions, database queries, database structures,hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide athorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled inthe relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details, or with othermethods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances,well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown ordescribed in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

It can be beneficial in many instances to allow consumer electronicdevices to wirelessly transmit and/or share power between two or moreconsumer electronic devices. For example, some embodiments allow onecell phone to obtain power from and/or use battery power from anothercell phone. It is a common situation where two people have smart phoneswith very different levels of battery charge remaining. For example,multiple portable devices (e.g., smart phones) are in a location withone or more of them having a significantly low battery charge where theperson(s) with the low battery level would like to or needs to do thingswith their device. This may be due to the fact that they are the type ofperson that is always interfacing with their phone, or this may be dueto the fact that there are a lot of remote people communicating withthat person, possibly due to a big recent event where communication isimportant. Since these remote people communicating with the personhaving the phone number of the smart phone with the low power set up intheir contacts, it is often not convenient for that person to just useanother person's phone that has more battery power. Similarly, aperson's mobile device may be low on battery power because it has notbeen charged recently, while another person's device may have a nearlyfull battery because it has recently been charged.

FIG. 1A shows a simplified block diagram of two portable consumerelectronic (CE) devices 112, 114 positions proximate each other, inaccordance with some embodiments. FIG. 1B illustrates multiple CEdevices 130-134 positioned proximate each other, in accordance with someembodiments. The CE devices each include an antenna system, moduleand/or circuitry 116 that is configured to provide wireless powertransfer and/or wireless communications between two or more CE devices.Accordingly, the CE devices utilize the antenna system to cooperativelycouple with one or more other CE devices to enable the wirelesslytransferring of power between at least a first CE device (e.g., CEdevice 112) a second CE (e.g., CE device 114), and/or to wirelesslycommunicate between the first and second CE devices. As such, electricalpower can be transferred, for example, from the first CE device 112 tothe second CE device 114, which may allow the second CE device 114 tocontinue to operate and/or to at least partially store electrical powerto be used by the second CE device. The CE devices can be substantiallyany relevant CE device that is configured with an antenna system 116.For example, the CE devices can be a smart phone, tablet, laptop,television, set-top-box, game controller, amplifier, cell phone,portable gaming device (e.g., a PlayStation Portable, etc.), multimediaplayer (e.g., DVD/Blu-ray player, iPod, MP3 player, etc.), car stereo,vehicle entertainment system (e.g., car, airplane, train, etc.), vehiclenavigation system, car charging device, battery pack, portable charger,and other such CE devices. Further, the CE devices do not have to be thesame type of devices.

FIG. 2A shows a representation of two exemplary smart phone portableconsumer electronic (CE) devices 112, 114 positions proximate eachother, in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 2B shows arepresentation of multiple exemplary portable consumer electronic (CE)devices 130-134 positions proximate each other, in accordance with someembodiments. In this representation, the CE devices can be, for example,a set-top-box 130, a multimedia player 131, television 132, a tuner orstereo 133, and a smart phone 134.

FIG. 3 depicts a simplified plane view of an exemplary antenna system310, in accordance with some embodiments. The antenna system 310 includean antenna array comprising one or more power transfer antennas 312and/or one or more low power communications antennas 314-317. The powertransfer antenna 312 is configured to enable at least one of wirelesslyand inductively receiving electrical power from another consumerelectronic device and to wirelessly and inductively transmittingelectrical power to another consumer electronic device. In manyapplications, the antenna system can be configured to transmit andreceive power. Similarly, the one or more communications antennas314-317 are configured to wirelessly transmit and receive communicationswith one or more other remote devices. Further, the communicationsantennas and corresponding drive circuitry (not illustrated) are, insome implementations, configured to provide low power wirelesscommunications such that the distance of the wireless communication isrelatively limited.

In some embodiments, the antenna system 310 includes a controller and/orone or more driver circuitry 318 that can control and/or drive theantennas 312, 314-317. The controller can further store and/or determinecoupling parameters of the antenna system and/or other antenna systems.In other embodiments, some or all of the functionality of the controller318 is performed by one or more controllers and/or processors of the CEdevice. Further, in some embodiments, the antenna system 310 includes aframe 320, base, housing or other such structure. Each of the powertransfer antenna 312 and the one or more communications antennas 314-317include leads 324, pins, wires or other such electrical connectors toallow the power transfer antenna and communications antennas to couplewith power, control and/or drive circuitry. The leads 324 may couplewith other components within the CE device. In some implementations theantenna system 310 includes one or more connectors 330 and the leads 324couple with a connector 330 of the antenna system 310. The connector 330can be configured to cooperate with one or more mating connectors of theCE device. In some embodiments, one or more antenna systems may besimilar to the antenna systems described in co-pending U.S. applicationSer. Nos. 14/290,409, and 14/290,429, which are incorporated herein byreference. It is noted that in some embodiments, an antenna system 310may not include a power transfer antenna and instead only include one ormore communications antennas, while in other embodiments an antennasystem 310 may not include a communications antenna and instead onlyinclude a power transfer antenna.

Referring back to FIG. 1B, in some implementations, a CE device, such asa second CE device 131 may include two or more antenna systems thatallow it to wirelessly and inductively couple with two or more differentCE devices. As such, in accordance with some embodiments, wireless powertransfer may be daisy chained from the first CE device 130, through thesecond CE device 131, to the third CE device 132. Similarly, in someimplementations, the one or more antenna systems may allow the second CEdevice to wirelessly daisy chain communications between the first CEdevice 130 and the third CE device 132. Further, the second CE device131 typically can independently communicate with the first and/or thirdCE devices, and/or implement a wireless power transfer to or from one orboth of the first and third CE devices. Power transfer and/orcommunications may be unidirectional or bidirectional depending on anintended operation.

In some implementations, the antenna system 116 allows one or more ofthe CE devices 130-133 to operate without any externally accessiblecommunications ports and/or power cords. Instead, for example, thesecond CE device 131 may receive all operation power from one or both ofthe first CE device 130 and/or the third CE device 132. Similarly, theantenna system allows the second CE device to externally communicatewith one or more other CE devices without the need for cable or fiberoptic communications. For example, the second CE device 131 may be aBlu-ray player communicationally coupled with the third CE device 132(e.g., a television) to wirelessly communicate the multimedia contentfrom a Blu-ray disc to the television for playback without the need forcable connections or external ports. Similarly, the second CE device 131may receive power to operate from the first and/or third CE devices. Assuch, in some implementations, the CE device can be designed andassembled without any external ports or connectors, and one or moreantenna systems can be incorporated that allows the CE device to acquirepower and communicate with one or more other CE devices. In someembodiments, CE devices and/or one or more communications antennas ofone or more antenna systems in a CE device can operate withoutexternally accessible communication ports, and in some instances allcommunications with the consumer electronic device in which the antennasystem is mounted are through the one or more communications antennas ofone or more antenna systems.

Some embodiments are configured to define and/or control the cooperationbetween the multiple CE devices and/or establish a near field wirelesssystem or network. Further, some embodiments configure the antennasystems 116 to establish the communication between CE devices and/ordictate which CE device communicates with which other CE device. In someimplementations, the cooperation of the CE devices defines aconfiguration of a near field wireless network of multiple CE devicescapable of wirelessly transferring electrical power and/or wirelesslycommunicating between the CE devices.

FIG. 4 shows a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process 410 ofconfiguring a near field wireless network of multiple CE devices, inaccordance with some embodiments. In step 412, a plurality of near fieldwireless antenna systems 116 are detected and/or identified and that canbe communicationally cooperated. For example, two or more antennasystems may be detected that may be cooperated, and in many instancesthree or more antenna systems are detected. As described above andfurther below, each of the plurality of antenna systems 116 comprisesone or more power transfer antennas and/or one or more communicationsantennas. The power transfer antenna is configured to enable wirelesselectrical power transfer between the power transfer antenna and atleast one other power transfer antenna of another one of the pluralityof antenna systems. Additionally, some implementations are configured touse directional wireless power transfer to operate at larger distances.

Further, each of the one or more communications antennas is configuredto enable wirelessly transmitting and receiving communications with atleast one communications antenna of another one of the plurality ofantenna systems. The distances over which the wirelessly communicationcan be achieved is typically at least consistent with those to achievewireless electrical power transfer through the power transfer antenna.In some embodiments, one or more of the communications antennas are lowpower communications antennas having a communication distance that islimited in range. Some embodiments are configured to communicate inaccordance with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communications (NFC) and/orother such communication protocols and the range of communication isconsistent with these standards. In some embodiments, the communicationdistance and/or the distance between the power transfer antennas can beas little as 1.0 nm, and is typically less than 15 cm, and in someimplementations the distance is less than 40 mm, while in manyembodiments, the distance is less than about 5 mm. Still further, someembodiments are configured such that the communication distance ofcommunications antennas is often limited in range to approximately thosedistances for which wireless electrical power transfer can be achievedthrough the power transfer antenna of the antenna system 116.

In step 414, one or more wireless coupling and/or communicationparameters (referred to generally below as coupling parameters) arereceived and/or determined corresponding to the antenna systems 116and/or an association between two or more of the antenna system.Typically, the wireless coupling parameters correspond to antennasystems and/or their potential coupling, association and/orcommunication with other antenna systems. Further, the wireless couplingparameters can include one or more parameters that can be used inconfiguring a plurality of antenna systems 116 to provide, establishand/or maintain a network of the antenna systems allowing each antennasystem to communicate with and/or implement a power transfer with one ormore other antenna systems. The wireless coupling parameters can includesubstantially any relevant parameter that can be used in determining howto configure the network of antenna system. For example, the wirelesscoupling parameters can include, but are not limited to, anidentification of an antenna system, numbers of wireless communicationsantennas incorporated within an antenna system, number of power transferantennas, positioning and/or orientation of communication and/or powerantennas, communication protocols and/or methods supported, signal powerand/or approximate wireless communication range or distance of eachcommunications antenna and/or associated with each communicationprotocol supported, approximate wireless power transfer range of thepower transfer antenna, an identification of one or more other antennasystems and/or communications antennas that are within wireless powertransfer and/or wireless communication range of an antenna system,wireless signal strength between one or more other antenna systemsand/or communications antennas that are within wireless power transferand/or wireless communication range of an antenna system, wirelesscommunication protocols and/or communication methods supported byanother antenna system in communication with an antenna system, antennapositioning and/or orientation (e.g., orientation relative to a case orhousing of the CE device, orientation relative to another antennasystem, etc.) of the antenna systems, whether a CE device is connectedto an external power source or operating over local power, batterystorage levels, and other such parameters or combinations of suchparameters. The wireless coupling parameters can be determined localwithin an antenna system and/or received from a remote antenna system.

Many of the parameters and capabilities attempt to improve coupling,alignment and/or try to line up the available signals that can becommunicated (e.g., signal provided by one CE device and able to be usedby another CE device) with the available antenna connections between asource CE device and a destination CE device. For some types of signals,there may only be a subset of the available antenna connections that arecapable of communicating that type of signal. In some cases theavailable signals may outnumber the available one or more inputs orvice-versa. Further, some implementation may provide available signalsthat outnumber the capacity of the available antenna connections. Insuch a situation, a choice or election is made, in some embodiments, asto which signals will be communicated through the system and whichsignals will not be communicated. For example, negotiation betweencommunicating antenna systems and/or CE devices can achieve theselection (e.g., based on priority of available signals, signal quality,or the like, or combinations thereof), a group controller may select, auser may select (e.g., through a user interface), etc.

In some embodiments, the determination of the wireless couplingparameters includes a discovery process that identifies the variousantenna systems and the capabilities and/or functionality of the variousantenna systems. The coupling parameters at least in part define thecapabilities and/or functionality of the various antenna systems. Insome embodiments, the coupling parameters are locally stored within astorage medium of an antenna system (or the CE device in which theantenna system is positioned), received from a remote antenna system,obtained from a remote source, determined based on an identification ofa separate antenna system, and the like, or a combination of suchmethods.

The capabilities, functionality, identity and other such information isoften obtained through initial communications from one or more of theantenna systems and/or between antenna systems. For example, the antennasystem may communicate (e.g., via a predefined communication protocol,power modulation, etc.) its own capabilities. In some instances, theantenna system transmits its capabilities to another antenna system aspart of an initiation process, such as upon initially detecting theother antenna system.

In step 416, one or more wireless coupling configurations are determinedcorresponding to the plurality of antenna systems and based on thewireless coupling parameters. The wireless coupling configurations atleast in part dictate which one or more of the plurality of antennasystems each antenna system is to directly communicate with and/orenable power transfer there between. Further, in some embodiments, thewireless coupling configurations designate communications methods and/orprotocols to be used (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, via wireless USB, wirelessEthernet, power modulation (e.g., backscatter modulation),radio-frequency identification (RFID) communications or other such NearField Communications (NFC), optical communication, High-DefinitionMultimedia Interface (HDMI) and/or other such communication methods orcombinations of such protocols), which communications antenna of aplurality of communications antennas of an antenna system is to be used,a desired positioning and/or positional orientation of the antennasystem 116 and/or the CE device (which is typically dependent on anorientation of another antenna system to be communicated with), signalstrength information defining a signal strength to be used in wirelesslytransmitting relative to one or more communications antennas and/orcommunication protocols, encoding parameters, encryption parameters(e.g., encryption method, key, etc.), whether two antenna systems of aCE device are configured to operate as pass-through antenna systems,power transfer levels and/or rates, or other such information orcombinations of such information. Still further, some embodimentsfurther specify which antenna within a remote antenna system a firstantenna of a first antenna system is to communicate with.

Additionally, some implementations provide one or more available antennaconnections that are configured with the capacity to communicate morethan one signal simultaneously, such as through interlacing of multiplesignals that are less than a bandwidth of the antenna connection. Insome embodiments, the available inputs and available outputs will lineup in a logical way. For example, a near field wireless network mayinclude two CE devices and/or antenna systems that each provide an HDMIoutput and one CE device and/or antenna system that has multiple HDMIinputs. According, the near field network can be configured and/or agroup controller can determine how the inputs and outputs are tologically be aligned with each other, and in many instances a preferredand/or ideal configuration is determined automatically without userintervention (other than, in some instance, to orient the relevant CEdevice in accordance with instructions should such CE devices need to bephysically moved to achieve desired alignment and/or efficientplacement).

Further, for example, some embodiments in determining the wirelesscoupling configurations determine, based on the wireless couplingparameters, that a first communications antenna of one or morecommunications antennas of a first antenna system is configured to beutilized in accordance with a first predefined wireless communicationprotocol of a plurality of different communication protocols, and that afirst communications antenna of one or more communications antennas of asecond antenna system is also configured to be utilized in accordancewith the predefined wireless communication protocol. The couplingconfigurations can then be configured to specify that the first antennasystem and the second antenna system are to directly communicateutilizing their respective first communications antennas and via thepredefined wireless communication protocol such that the first antennasystem is configured to communicate with the second antenna systemutilizing the predefined wireless communication protocol. Other factorsand/or parameters may also be taken into consideration. For example, thecoupling between two communication or power antennas is typicallylimited by a distance between the communication or power antennas.Accordingly, some embodiments in determining coupling configurationsfurther determine, based at least in part on the wireless couplingparameters, whether the first antenna system and typically whether thefirst antenna of the first antenna system is in wireless communicationand/or power transfer range with the first antenna of the second antennasystem.

Other coupling and/or coupling parameters may be taken intoconsideration with respect to implementing and/or preventing wirelesspower transfers. For example, one or more parameters may designatewhether a CE device is coupled with an external power source (e.g.,plugged into a wall outlet) or is operating from a local power source(e.g., battery, capacitance, etc.). As such, when it is determined thattwo CE devices are both coupled with an external power source aconfiguration instruction can be communicated with an instruction thatis configured to prevent power transfer between power transfer antennasof antenna systems of the two CE devices that are coupled with andreceiving power from an external power source. Additionally oralternatively, it may be determined that a first CE device is receivingpower through a wireless power transfer from another CE device.Accordingly, in some implementations, the coupling configuration mayrestrict and/or prevent the CE device from further transferring power toa subsequent CE device. This may depend on the device from which the CEdevice is receiving power (e.g., if the device supplying the power isoperating from a local battery).

Further, some embodiments in determining the coupling configurationsevaluate capabilities of an antenna array of each of antenna systemsthat may potentially couple. For example, communication compatibilitiesbetween the antenna array of a first antenna system and the antennaarray a second antenna system may be identified and wireless couplingconfigurations may be defined to establish a communication connectionbetween one or more communications antennas of the first antenna systemand one or more communications antennas of the second antenna system tooperate in accordance with one or more of the communicationcompatibilities. The communication compatibilities can includecommunication protocols, antenna orientation, wireless range, powerlevels, and other such compatibilities. Further, in some instances, suchcoupling configurations can comprise instructions to move and/orreorient one of the first antenna system and the second antenna systemto achieve a communication coupling between the one or morecommunications antennas of the first antenna system and one or morecommunications antennas of the second antenna system in accordance withthe one or more communication compatibilities.

Additionally, in some implementations, one or more of the antennasystems may be configured without a power transfer antenna or without acommunications antenna. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the couplingparameters typically identify the structure and/or capabilities of theantenna system (e.g., that it only includes communications antennas) andthe resulting coupling configurations take these limitations intoaccount. As such, a near field network is extendable to situations whereone or more of the antenna systems does not include a power transferantenna or does not include a communications antenna (e.g., only aportion of the antenna systems contain power transfer functionality).For example, a CE device of the near field network (or a CE device newlyadded to an existing network of CE devices) may include an antennasystem that has one or more communication antennas, but does not includea power transfer antenna. The communication with this antenna system(and CE device) is typically managed the same as if the antenna systemalso has a power transfer antenna, and the coupling configurations wouldtake into account the lack of the power transfer antenna.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in step 418 communication is initiated of oneor more configuration instructions corresponding to the determinedcoupling configurations to at least one of the antenna systems 116. Theconfiguration instructions at least direct each of the plurality ofantenna systems to be configured in accordance with the determinedwireless coupling configurations. Further, in some embodiments, theconfiguration instructions configure a near field wireless networkbetween the plurality of antenna systems. In some embodiments, anantenna system may cause the communication of the communication of theconfiguration instructions. Additionally or alternatively, a remote CEdevice may cause the communication of the one or more configurationinstructions. The process 410 can be repeated any number of times. Forexample, the process 410 may be implemented as a loop that continues todetermine whether one or more additional antenna systems are to beincorporated into the network of antenna systems 116 and/or whether anantenna system has been removed (e.g., powered down, moved by a user,etc.) from the network.

As described above, in some embodiments, a CE device may contain morethan one antenna system 116. Referring back to FIG. 1B, the first CEdevice 130, the second CE device 131 and the fifth CE device 134 eachinclude multiple antenna systems 116. Further, both the first CE device130 and the second CE device 131 are configured to communicate withmultiple different CE devices (e.g., the first CE device 130communicates with the second CE device 131 and the fourth CE device 133,while the second CE device 131 communicates with the first CE device 130and the third CE device 132). Accordingly, some embodiments areconfigured to allow one CE device (e.g., the first CE device) tocommunicate with another CE device (e.g., the third CE device 132) whenthe first CE device is not in direct communication with and/or notwithin wireless range of the third CE device by using the two antennasystems 116 of the second CE device 131 as pass-through antenna systemsthat effectively relays information between the first and third CEdevices. It is noted that the second CE device 131 may utilize some orall of the information received and retransmitted. Accordingly, whenoperating as pass-through antennas, the antenna systems are notrestricted from utilizing some or all of the information and/orproviding that information to the CE device with which it is cooperated.Operating antenna systems as pass-through systems allows information tobe daisy chain communicated through multiple antenna systems. Similarly,wireless power transfer may be daisy chained through antenna systemsconfigured as pass-through antenna systems. For example, power may betransferred from the first CE device 130, through the second CE device131, to the third CE device 132.

As such, some embodiments in detecting the plurality of near fieldwireless antenna systems 116 detect that two or more antenna systems arewithin a single CE device. For example, a CE device (e.g., the second CEdevice) may transmit coupling parameters specifying the CE deviceincludes more than one antenna system and/or that the antenna systems ofthe CE device can operate as pass-through antenna systems. With thisinformation, the wireless coupling configurations can define that twoantenna systems of the CE device as pass-through antenna systems. Inthis configuration, a first antenna system of the CE device can beconfigured to pass through at least some communications wirelesslyreceived through the first antenna system to a second antenna system ofthe same CE device, and the second antenna system can be configured towirelessly retransmit some of the wireless communications received fromthe first antenna system to another of the plurality of antenna systemscooperated with a separate CE device. Similarly, the second antennasystem may additionally or alternatively wirelessly receivecommunications and forward those to the first antenna system to allowthe first antenna system to transmit that information to an antennasystem of a separate CE device allowing a pass-through ofcommunications.

In some embodiments, one antenna system 116 of the plurality of antennasystems determines some or all of the coupling configurations and/orperforms the process 410 to establish and/or maintain the near fieldnetwork. For example, a first antenna system may operate as a groupcontroller or network control antenna system that in some embodimentsdictates the cooperation and/or coupling between two or more antennasystems. The determination of which of the antenna systems operates asthe group controller can depend on one or more factors, such as but notlimited to whether an antenna system (and/or the CE device in which thatantenna system is positioned) can operate as a group controller and/orhas the functionality to provide group control, the computationalcapabilities of the antenna system and/or the CE device in which theantenna system is positioned, a priority level (e.g., defined by amanufacturer, defined by an industry standard, user defined, etc.),whether the CE device associated with the antenna system includes a userinterface and/or a type of user interface, when an antenna system joinedthe network, and/or other such factors. Additionally or alternatively, auser can designate and/or select one of the antenna systems to be thenetwork group controller.

For example, in a linear configuration an antenna system or a CE deviceat one of the ends can be designated as the group controller. Theselected antenna system or CE device could be determined, for example,by which end has more inputs. As one specific example, a set of rulesmay be applied to select a TV being the group controller as the TV istypically on an end of a linear chain and often includes the mostinputs. Additionally or alternative, in some implementations antennasystems and/or CE devices that may be part of the near field wirelessnetwork could negotiate amongst themselves to select which of theantenna systems and/or CE devices is to be the group controller. In someimplementations, each antenna system, each CE device and/or at least oneantenna system of each CE device of the potential network includessoftware to allow the antenna system and/or CE device to act as a groupcontroller. In such a situation, it may not be important which deviceacts as the group controller, and the selection can be based one or moreparameters, such as those described above or further described below(e.g., which device has the best user interface).

Further, rules may specify in some implementations to prefer orprioritize certain CE devices and/or antenna systems over others. Forexample, a rule may specify that when a first antenna system and/orfirst CE device supports a later version of a communication protocolthan another antenna systems and/or CE devices, then the first antennasystem and/or CE device supporting the latest version is chosen over theother device when selecting a group controller. Additionally oralternatively, there may be rules such that the CE device with the mostinputs (and/or outputs) and/or with the most antenna systems would bechosen as the group controller (e.g., in a network configuration whereall content and/or information is run through a home theater receiver,the home theater receiver may be chosen as the group controller).

Further, the group controller of a near field network may not be fixedwith one antenna system and/or CE device, but could change dynamically.For example, the near field network may be configured such that when aCE device receives an input from a user, such as receiving a remotecontrol key press, that CE device could signal that it wants to takeover as the group controller. Such a system would result in the CEdevice that the user is interacting with becomes the group controllerand/or may implement some control over communications.

Still further, in some embodiments, when communication is received froma device outside of the near field network (and the CE devices of thenear filed network communicating through the antenna systems), such asfrom a cell phone, the outside device can act as the group controller.In other embodiments, the outside device may implement some control overthe actions of a CE device that is currently acting as the groupcontroller, and/or a user may implement some control over the CE deviceacting as the group controller through the outside device.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, as the configuration of the CE devicesof the near field network is changed, the choice of which CE deviceand/or antenna system that operates as the group controller can changedynamically. When the group controller changes, the antenna systemand/or CE device that is newly acting as the group controller may startby indicating the same configuration that the old group controllerspecified, and then can subsequently implement changes when determinedby the newly acting group controller to be beneficial to the near fieldnetwork.

In some implementations, the collection of CE devices of the near fieldnetwork operate without one antenna system or CE device acting as agroup controller. In such a situation, each antenna system and/or CEdevice negotiates the communication over each antenna system with the CEdevice on the other end of that communication connection. Thiscommunication may take into account communication from one or more otherantenna systems on the CE device, which would allow a collection of CEdevices and/or antenna systems to negotiate signals being passed throughwithout a single device controlling that configuration.

In some embodiments, a first antenna system and/or a first CE device inwhich the first antenna system is positioned is established as a groupcontroller of the near field wireless network and over each of theplurality of antenna systems. This establishment can be user defined,negotiated between the plurality of antenna systems, based on one ormore of the criteria described above or other such criteria. Further, insome implementations, the near field network may have previously beenestablished and the first antenna system may be newly joined to thenetwork. In such instances, the first antenna system may take over groupcontroller functionality from another antenna system (or other CEdevice) when another antenna system was previously designated as a groupcontroller. In other instances, a separate device and/or service mayconfigure the network and/or operate as a group controller. The groupcontroller utilizes the wireless coupling parameters in determining thewireless coupling configurations. Further, the group controllercommunicates the one or more configuration instructions to one or moreantenna systems. In some implementations, one or more of theconfiguration instructions are retransmitted (e.g., daisy chaintransmitted) by one or more of the other antenna systems to subsequentantenna systems. Further, in some implementations, a singleconfiguration instruction may be communicated that is used by multipleantenna systems. In other embodiments, multiple antenna configurationinstructions are communicated. Typically, the group controller antennasystem wirelessly communicates the one or more configurationinstructions from the first antenna system to one or more of theplurality of antenna systems.

It is further noted that the near field network and/or one or more ofthe coupling configurations may be modified over time, such as when oneor more CE devices are removed or added to the near field network.Similarly, a user may instruct modifications to the coupling betweenantenna systems. For example, the addition of an antenna system ofanother CE device may be detected after the near field wireless networkis configured. Typically, additional wireless coupling parameterscorresponding to the additional antenna system are received, and basedon the additional coupling parameters, and in some instances some or allof the previously received coupling parameters, the modified wirelesscoupling configurations are determined for at least the additionalantenna system and at least one of the antenna systems alreadyincorporated into the near field network. The one or more modifiedwireless coupling configurations typically dictate which one or more ofthe plurality of antenna systems the additional antenna system is tocommunication with and/or allow power transfer with, and in someinstances dictates which one or more of the plurality of antenna systemsand the additional antenna system each is to directly communicate with.The one or more of the modified configuration instructions can becommunicated directing one or more of the plurality of antenna systemsand the additional antenna system to be configure in accordance with thedetermined modified wireless coupling configurations and cause areconfiguration of the near field wireless network.

For example, in some embodiment, an additional antenna system of a CEdevice may be detected with the additional antenna system comprising oneor more communications antennas and not including a power transferantenna. As such, the wireless coupling parameters corresponding withthis additional antenna system can be received and typically specifiesthat the antenna system does not include a power transfer antenna. Basedon the wireless coupling parameters, including those corresponding tothe additional antenna system, the wireless coupling configurations aredetermined for the additional antenna systems and one or more otherantenna systems of the network. Again, the wireless couplingconfigurations dictate which one or more of the plurality of antennasystems the additional antenna system and at least one of the otherantenna systems the additional antenna systems is to directlycommunicate with, and with which the additional antenna system cannotprovide wireless power transfer.

As described above, in some embodiments, some or all of the wirelesscoupling configurations may be specified and/or modified by a user. Insome implementations the user accesses a user interface that allows theuser to obtain information about the antenna systems and/or CE devices,their communication and/or coupling parameters, and/or other suchinformation. Through the user interface the user is able to at least inpart define and/or modify the coupling configurations. In manyembodiments, the user interface is displayed on a display of one of theCE devices. In many implementations, the CE device upon which the userinterface is displayed does not have to be the group controller.

The information provided and/or accessible through the user interfaceand/or format of the user interface may vary depending on thecapabilities of the CE device and/or the display of the CE device. Forexample, in some implementations, the user interface may be merelytextual data with one or more lines of text being displayed. The usertypically can scroll through multiple lines of text to make relevantselections (e.g., selecting between “ON” or “OFF”, designating whether acoupling is “ACCEPTED” or “DECLINED”, selecting one of multiple antennasystem identifiers and/or CE device identifiers, etc.). Similarly, someembodiments may display one or more tables as at least part of the userinterface.

In other implementations, more information may be displayed and/or moreoptions may be available when the CE device and/or the display iscapable. Some embodiments provide a graphical user interface, and theinformation displayed is typically dependent on the wireless couplingparameters and/or the coupling configurations. Further, the userinterface may display communicational relationships and/or positionalrelationships between one or more of the antenna systems. In someembodiments, the coupling parameters may include each antenna systemidentifying which other antenna systems it detects. Information can begenerated, such as mapping providing communicational and/or positionalrelationships between antenna systems. The user interface may display arepresentation of positioning of CE devices and/or antenna systems.Further, the user interface may additionally display parametersassociated with related antenna systems or CE devices (e.g., identifycommunication protocols available between two antenna systems, signalstrengths, power levels, power transfer capabilities, numbers ofcommunications antennas, etc.).

In some implementations, the user interface may present in part apictorial representation of one or more antenna systems and/or CEdevices. Similarly, the user may be able to drag and drop icons and/orpictorial representations to designate couplings and/or graphically drawlines between antenna systems and/or CE devices. For example, someembodiments generate and display a graphical user interface based atleast in part on the wireless coupling parameters. Further, thegraphical user interface may, in some embodiments, show a pictorialrepresentation of communicational and/or positional relationshipsbetween each of the plurality of antenna systems. The user interface canbe configured to allow a user to interact with the graphical userinterface to obtain information, define parameters, specify some or allof the coupling configurations and the like. For example, modifyinginstructions may be received through the graphical user interfaceinstructing that one or more of the determined wireless couplingconfigurations be modified. Based on the modifying instructions, one ormore modified coupling configurations can be generated in accordancewith the received modifying instructions, with the one or more modifiedcoupling configurations being configured to modify how at least two ofthe plurality of antenna systems are to communicate with each other.These modified coupling configurations can be communicated to therelevant antenna systems (e.g., the at least two of the plurality ofantenna systems).

Additional information may be displayed in the user interface and/oroptionally a user can activate one or more options (e.g., drop downwindow, menu or the like) that cause further information to be displayed(e.g., number of communications antennas; communication protocols beingused, available and/or associated with each antenna; which one or morecommunications antennas of a first antenna system are coupled with whichone or more communications antenna systems of one or more other antennasystems; whether power transfer is activated; whether power transfer isactively occurring; etc.).

Further, in some embodiments the user may provide information and/ordefine some or all of the coupling configurations through a CE devicethat is not part of the near field wireless network. For example, theuser may access a user interface through a smart phone that is remotefrom the near field wireless network yet in communication with one ormore of the CE devices and/or antenna systems of the CE devices.Accordingly, in some embodiments, the coupling configurations aredetermined at a remote CE device that is remote from and not part of thenear field wireless network, with the graphical user interface beinggenerated and/or displayed on the remote CE device. The one or moreconfiguration instructions can be wired and/or wirelessly communicatedover a distributed network that is implemented beyond the bounds of thenear field wireless network to a first antenna system that can becommunicationally coupled with and configured to communicate over thedistributed network.

FIG. 5 shows a representation of multiple CE devices 130-134 capable offorming a near field wireless network while one or more of the CEdevices 130-134 are coupled with one or more remote CE devices 512-513through a distributed network 516, in accordance with some embodiments.Similar to FIG. 2A, the CE devices 130-134 each include one or moreantenna systems 116 configured to cooperatively couple with one or moreother antenna systems. The cooperation and/or coupling between antennasystems can be configured to establish a near field wireless network toallow cooperative communication and/or power transfer between theantenna systems 116, and thus the CE devices.

A user may access one or more of the CE devices 130-134 through thedistributed network using one or more remote CE devices 512-513. Forexample, a user may communicate with a first CE device 130 through thedistributed network 516 and a transceiver and/or network interface 520of the first CE device. Although not required, in some implementations,the first CE device 130 may be designated as the group controller of thenear field wireless network. As introduced above, the first remote CEdevice 512 may include a display that is configured to display a userinterface that allows the user to obtain information about one or moreof the CE devices 130-134 and/or modify and/or define some or all of thecoupling configurations, which may at least in part dictate which one ormore of the plurality of antenna systems each antenna systems is todirectly communicate with.

Accordingly, some embodiments provide systems and methods to configureand/or modify configurations of antenna systems when multiple antennasystems are available in and/or are capable of forming a near-fieldwireless network. The configuration can be done remotely via a remote CEdevice (e.g., a remote mobile device like a cell phone, tablet or thelike). Typically, the remote CE device includes and/or couples with adisplay to provide the user with coupling parameters (e.g., wirelessnetwork capability, communication protocols, and/or other suchinformation) and can access to the distributed network.

Additionally or alternatively, one or more servers and/or services 524may act as an intermediary between a remote CE device 512 and one ormore of the CE device 130-134 capable of forming the near field wirelessnetwork. Similarly, in some embodiments, the server or service 524 mayprovide the user interface to the remote CE device and/or interact withan application operating on the CE device to populate a user interfaceand/or receive commands through the user's interaction with the userinterface.

The remote CE devices 512-513 can be substantially any relevant CEdevice capable of communicating over the distributed network with one ormore of the CE device 130-134 and/or the service 524. For example, theremote CE device can be a smart phone, laptop, tablet, computer or othersuch device. Similarly, the remote server and/or service 524 can beimplemented by substantially any relevant service, such as but notlimited to a cellular network provider, a CE device manufacturer, alocal area network router manufacturer, a home personal computer of auser, or other such service.

FIG. 6 depicts a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process 610 ofdiscovering one or more antenna systems 116, in accordance with someembodiments. In step 612, the process is started. For example, a CEdevice (e.g., CE device 130) and/or an antenna system 116 is powered on,a user activates the antenna system discovery process, a predefinedamount of time expired, or the like. In step 614, the CE device 130determines a number of antenna systems 116 of the CE device and/orcapable of communicating with one or more CE devices. In someembodiments, this information is known and stored locally, while inother embodiments, the CE device evaluates system resources to detectantenna systems, while in still other embodiments, antenna systemswithin the CE device may issue a notification to a controller of the CEdevice and/or the another antenna system.

In step 616, each antenna system 116 of a CE device is activated todiscover one or more other antenna systems 116 with which the antennasystem is in range and/or with which the antenna system may potentiallycouple. The discovery process may include sending one or more predefinedcommunications from one or more of the antennas of the antenna systems,following one or more predefined protocol discovery processes (e.g. aPHY discovery process, magnetic induction field discovery process,etc.), and/or other such discovery processes or combinations of suchdiscovery processes.

For example, in some implementations, one or more communications areinitiated through power modulation between power transfer antennas oftwo antenna systems, a predefined communication protocol can be usedfrom one or more communications antennas, or other such communicationsmay be implemented and/or a combination of such communications may beimplemented. The communications can be configured, for example, toacquire wireless coupling parameters corresponding to the one or morecommunications antennas of one or both antenna systems. The discoverycommunications may be an initial communication, and once coupling isestablished subsequent communications with one or more other antennasmay be employed using one or more protocols determined through theinitial communication (e.g., done through the power transfer antenna).Further, the discovery process or processes may limit discovery to thoseantenna systems that are external to the CE device.

In step 620, it is determined whether one or more antenna systems aredetected. In those instances where there are no antenna systems detectedand/or no additional antenna systems yet to be identified, the processterminates at step 622. For example, the process 610 may terminate whenthe CE device 130 is not positioned near another CE device that iscapable of communicating with the antenna system 116 of the CE device.

When a second antenna system is detected, the process advances to step624 where coupling parameters and/or other such information aredetermined for the detected second antenna system. Again, the couplingand/or coupling parameters and/or other information can includedetermining the communication and/or power transfer capabilities of thesecond antenna system, services and/or functionality of thecorresponding separate CE device and/or other such couplingconfigurations and/or information. For example, some embodiments performsome or all of a link layer discovery protocol process, UPnP discovery,or the like of at least the CE device.

Some embodiments include step 626 where it is determined whether thefirst CE device 130, an antenna system 116 of the first CE device oranother CE device of the near field wireless network previously coupledwith the second CE device and/or the antenna system of the CE device. Inthose instances where the CE device and/or antenna system is recognizedthe process may advance to step 628 to re-establish the same or asimilar configuration that were previously established with the secondCE device. This can improve efficiency and/or utilize optimumconfigurations which were previously determined. For example, a defaultconfiguration may be established when two antenna systems are wirelesslycoupled based on a previous evaluation of the available antenna systemsand/or antennas of two or more antenna systems. As such, the previouslyestablished default configuration can be implemented in step 628 betweentwo antenna systems. Again, this default configuration may be based on adetermined optimum coupling. In some implementations, the previousconfiguration and/or default configuration may be stored in one or moreof the antenna systems, a group controller, a remote service 524, aremote CE device 512 or the like. For example, a matrix may be stored inan antenna system controller of each antenna system in response toreceiving configuration instructions.

Similarly, in some embodiments, previous parameters and/or settings areremembered for a configuration and when the orientation and/orconfiguration of antenna systems changes to a previous orientationand/or configuration then the group of antenna systems and/or CE devicescan shift to the remembered settings and/or default to using the lastsettings that were in use when the antenna systems were in the sameconfiguration. Additionally or alternatively, there could be a pluralityof previously defined coupling configurations and/or settings, which mayhave been saved and/or named, that could be chosen to apply to thecurrent orientation and/or configuration. In some embodiments, thepreviously saved and/or default configurations may specify orientationsof antenna systems and/or CE devices in lining up one or more antennasavailable on one side of the communications with antennas available onthe other side of the communications. Further, the settings maydesignate what signals will be sent over each communication channel.

As another example, the group controller and/or antenna system mayrecognize that there is an HDMI signal source available through a firstCE device, that a second CE device is configured to use an HDMI signal,and there are antennas available in antenna systems of each of the firstand second CE device that are configured to wirelessly communicate anHDMI signal. Accordingly, the antenna systems and/or group controllermight default to configure the corresponding antenna systems of the twoCE devices to communicate the HDMI signal. Further, in some instances,this configuration may occur through the antenna systems without theneed to be explicitly configured to do so.

Further, some embodiments may implement step 630 when the second antennasystem has not been previously configured and/or associated with thefirst antenna system or another antenna system of the near fieldwireless network. In step 630, configuration instructions can be stored,for example in a matrix, for subsequent use upon reconfiguring the nearfield network and/or a change of the near field wireless network (e.g.,the CE device having the second antenna system is removed from the nearfield wireless network and later incorporated back into the near fieldwireless network). In step 632, appropriate services within the first CEdevice 130 and/or the antenna system of the first CE device are enabledand/or disabled based on the coupling and/or coupling parameters and/orother information (e.g., functionality of the CE device), such as theinformation obtained in step 624.

The process 610 or portions of the process can repeat for each antennasystem detected and/or that might be incorporated into the near fieldwireless network. For example, following steps 628 or 632, the processmay return to step 616 to initiate the discovery process in attempts todetect one or more further antenna systems.

FIG. 7 depicts a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary process 710 ofdiscovering one or more antenna systems and/or CE devices in accordancewith some embodiments. The process 710 may be utilized to implement oneor more steps of the process 610, in some embodiments. In step 712, anantenna system wirelessly polls for a separate second antenna system.The polling can be substantially any polling. For example, the pollingmay include issuing one or more predefined communications through one ormore communications antennas and/or the power antenna of the antennasystem in accordance with one or more communication protocols anddetermining whether a corresponding predefined response is received.

In step 714, it is determined whether a second antenna system isdetected. When no separate antenna system is detected the process mayrepeat step 712 one or more times. Again, the repeating may includerepeating a previous communication or issuing a different communicationin accordance with a different communication protocol through one ormore antennas of the antenna system. When a separate antenna system isdetected, step 716 is entered to discover the functional networkservices. For example, PHY layer detection and/or a Link Layer protocol(e.g., UPnP) can be implemented to discover some or all the functionalnetwork services available (e.g., power sharing functionality, datasharing functionality, communications functionality, etc.). Someembodiments may include step 718 where a user is asked to establish oneor more desired functional network services. For example, once servicesare known the user can be asked to authorize which services are to beactivated.

The discovery of another antenna system and/or the configuration of thenear field wireless network may be activated by a user, may be initiatedin response to a power up, may be triggered based on a schedule orexpiration of a predefined period of time, or the like. For example, auser may activate an application on a CE device to initiate the antennasystem discovery. As another example, the CE device may activate theantenna system discovery and/or ask the user whether it is authorized toperform an antenna system discovery. For example, an antenna systemwould not exchange information and/or communicate with another antennasystem without permission from the user (e.g., user presses button tostart discovery, user presses button, while second CE device is in “automode”, both devices are in “auto mode”, etc.). Similarly, the ability toestablish a wireless connection with another antenna system of anotherCE device may be restricted based on a service authorization (e.g.,there may be a service that the user must pay for to take advantage ofthis capability). As such, an antenna system may need authorization(e.g., from a service provider) before allowing the discovery and/orlinking with another antenna system. Additionally or alternatively,antenna systems that were previously connected may connect automaticallyas part of the discovery process.

As described above, some embodiments identify one or more previouscoupling configuration settings that were previously stored. Theprevious coupling configuration setting can define one or more priorcoupling configurations, and the configuration setting is typicallyassociated with each of multiple antenna systems based on prior wirelesscooperation between at least the multiple antenna systems. As such, theconfigurations instructions can comprise the previous couplingconfigurations setting corresponding to the one or more of the priorwireless coupling configurations, which can direct at least the multipleantenna systems (e.g., first, second and third antenna systems) tocommunicationally cooperate relative to each other in accordance withthe previous coupling configurations setting. Additionally, in someimplementations, the previous coupling configurations setting furtherdefines an orientation and/or position of a first antenna systemrelative to an orientation and/or position of one or more of themultiple antenna systems.

For example, in may be determined from the wireless coupling parametersthat a first antenna system, a second antenna system and a third antennasystem are in a first orientation relative to each other. It may furtherbe determined that the first antenna system, the second antenna systemand the third antenna system had in the past been positioned in aprevious orientation that is substantially the same as the firstorientation. Based in part on this identified previous orientation, oneor more prior wireless coupling configurations previously stored andassociated with the previous orientation may be identified. As such, oneor more configurations instructions can comprise one or moreconfigurations instructions directing at least the first antenna system,the second antenna system and the third antenna system tocommunicationally cooperate relative to each other in accordance withthe prior coupling configurations.

The methods, techniques, systems, devices, services, servers, sourcesand the like described herein may be utilized, implemented and/or run onmany different types of devices and/or systems. Referring to FIG. 8,there is illustrated a system 800 that may be used for any suchimplementations, in accordance with some embodiments. One or morecomponents of the system 800 may be used for implementing any system,apparatus or device mentioned above or below, or parts of such systems,apparatuses or devices, such as for example any of the above or belowmentioned CE devices 112, 114, 130-134, 512-513, controller 318, antennasystems 116, 310, server 524, CE functional circuitry, user interface,wireless power distribution circuitry and the like. However, the use ofthe system 800 or any portion thereof is certainly not required.

By way of example, the system 800 may comprise a controller or processormodule 812, memory 814, and one or more communication links, paths,buses or the like 818. Some embodiments include a user interface 816. Apower source or supply 840 may be included or coupled with the system800. The controller 812 can be implemented through one or moreprocessors, microprocessors, central processing unit, logic, localdigital storage, firmware and/or other control hardware and/or software,and may be used to execute or assist in executing the steps of theprocesses, methods and techniques described herein, and control variouscommunications, programs, content, listings, services, interfaces, etc.Further, in some embodiments, the controller 812 can be part of acontrol system 810 and/or implemented through one or more processorswith access to one or more memory 814. The user interface 816 can allowa user to interact with the system 800 and receive information throughthe system. In some instances, the user interface 816 includes a display822 and/or one or more user inputs 824, such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, remote control, buttons, touch screen, etc., which can be part ofor wired or wirelessly coupled with the system 800.

In some embodiments, the system 800 further includes one or morecommunication interfaces, ports, transceivers 820 and the like allowingthe system 800 to communication over a communication bus, a distributednetwork, a local network, the Internet, communication link 818, othernetworks or communication channels with other devices and/or other suchcommunications or combinations thereof. Further the transceiver 820 canbe configured for wired, wireless, optical, fiber optical cable or othersuch coupling configurations or combinations of such communications. Thesystem 800 further includes one or more antennas 836, and typically oneor more communications antennas and one or more power transfer antennas.One or more inputs and/or outputs 834 may be provided, such as powerand/or communication ports, audio adaptor ports, etc.

The system 800 comprises an example of a control and/or processor-basedsystem with the controller 812. Again, the controller 812 can beimplemented through one or more processors, controllers, centralprocessing units, logic, software and the like. Further, in someimplementations the controller 812 may provide multiprocessorfunctionality.

The memory 814, which can be accessed by the controller 812, typicallyincludes one or more processor readable and/or computer readable mediaaccessed by at least the controller 812, and can include volatile and/ornonvolatile media, such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory and/or othermemory technology. Further, the memory 814 is shown as internal to thesystem 810; however, the memory 814 can be internal, external or acombination of internal and external memory. Similarly, some or all ofthe memory 814 can be internal, external or a combination of internaland external memory of the controller 812. The external memory can besubstantially any relevant memory such as, but not limited to, one ormore of flash memory secure digital (SD) card, universal serial bus(USB) stick or drive, other memory cards, hard drive and other suchmemory or combinations of such memory. The memory 814 can store code,software, executables, coupling and/or communication parameters,coupling configurations, identifiers, scripts, data, content, multimediacontent, programming, programs, log or history data, user informationand the like.

One or more of the embodiments, methods, processes, approaches, and/ortechniques described above or below may be implemented in one or morecomputer programs executable by a processor-based system. By way ofexample, such a processor based system may comprise the processor basedsystem 800, a cellular phone (e.g., a smart phone), a tablet, a laptop,a computer, a set-to-box, an television, an IP enabled television, aBlu-ray player, an IP enabled Blu-ray player, a DVD player,entertainment system, gaming console, graphics workstation, tablet, etc.Such a computer program may be used for executing various steps and/orfeatures of the above or below described methods, processes and/ortechniques. That is, the computer program may be adapted to cause orconfigure a processor-based system to execute and achieve the functionsdescribed above or below. For example, such computer programs may beused for implementing any embodiment of the above or below describedsteps, processes or techniques to enable the configuration of thewireless antenna systems and/or near field wireless network, wirelesscommunication, wireless power transfer and the like. In someembodiments, program code modules, loops, subroutines, etc., within thecomputer program may be used for executing various steps and/or featuresof the above or below described methods, processes and/or techniques. Asanother example, such computer programs may be used for implementing anytype of tool or similar utility that uses any one or more of the aboveor below described embodiments, methods, processes, approaches, and/ortechniques. In some embodiments, program code modules, loops,subroutines, etc., within the computer program may be used for executingvarious steps and/or features of the above or below described methods,processes and/or techniques. In some embodiments, the computer programmay be stored or embodied on a computer readable storage or recordingmedium or media, such as any of the computer readable storage orrecording medium or media described herein.

Accordingly, some embodiments provide a processor or computer programproduct comprising a medium configured to embody a computer program forinput to a processor or computer and a computer program embodied in themedium configured to cause the processor or computer to perform orexecute steps comprising any one or more of the steps involved in anyone or more of the embodiments, methods, processes, approaches, and/ortechniques described herein. For example, some embodiments provide oneor more computer-readable storage mediums storing one or more computerprograms for use with a computer simulation, the one or more computerprograms configured to cause a computer and/or processor based system toexecute steps comprising: identifying a plurality of near field wirelessantenna systems including a first antenna system, a second antennasystem and a third antenna system, wherein at least the first antennasystem is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE) device andthe second antenna system is cooperated with a separate second CEdevice, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systems comprises apower transfer antenna and one or more communications antennas, whereinthe power transfer antennas is configured to enable wireless electricalpower transfer between the power transfer antenna and at least one otherpower transfer antenna of another one of the plurality of antennasystems, and wherein each of the one or more communications antennas isconfigured to enable wirelessly transmitting and receivingcommunications with at least one communications antenna of another oneof the plurality of antenna systems over distances consistent with thoseto achieve wireless electrical power transfer through the power transferantenna; receiving wireless coupling parameters corresponding to each ofthe plurality of antenna systems; determining, based on the wirelesscoupling parameters, wireless coupling configurations corresponding toat least the first, second and third antenna systems, wherein thewireless coupling configurations dictate which one or more of theplurality of antenna systems each of at least the first, second andthird antenna systems of the plurality of antenna systems is to directlycommunicate with; and initiating a communication of one or moreconfiguration instructions directing each of the plurality of antennasystems to be configured in accordance with the determined wirelesscoupling configurations.

As described above, in some embodiments, an antenna system 116 and/or aCE device (e.g., second CE device 131) operates as a group and/or nearfield network controller. Typically, the CE device 131 includes adisplay to display relevant coupling parameters, couplingconfigurations, configuration instructions, and/or other suchinformation. Further, in many embodiments, the user can interact with auser interface displayed on the displayed on the second CE device toobtain information about the near field network, specify couplingconfigurations for the near field network and/or modify theconfiguration of the network. For example, some embodiments provide theuser with a table, mapping and/or pictorial representations of some orall the near field network. In some embodiments, the user can designatea group controller, the group controller can be selected through linklayer protocol, or other such selection. The group controller typicallyreceives the coupling parameters. In some implementations, the couplingparameters are tables and/or matrices from the other antenna systemsand/or CE devices. Using the coupling parameters the group controllercan configure an overall system mapping of how the antenna systems areto connect to one another. In some instances, the couplingconfigurations further define the services that are enabled.

In some embodiments, the group controller can be implemented through aremote CE device that is in communication via a network (e.g., LAN, WAN,WLAN, etc.) with one or more of the antenna systems and/or CE devices ofthe near field network. The remote CE device, in some embodiments,implements an application that a user can use to manage (create, edit,copy, transfer, recall, etc.) the near field configuration, predefinedconfigurations and the like. Further, one or more network configurationscan be stored locally on the one or more of the antenna systems, CEdevices or remote CE device, or on a remote server 524. Typically, groupcontroller can be released to another CE device or antenna system (e.g.,in response to a change of CE devices to the network) and restored tothe first CE device. Further, some embodiments maintain stored and/ordefault configurations. In some instances, an antenna system may havedefault operating conditions and/or a default configuration. Similarly,a group controller may maintain store previous and/or defaultconfigurations for subsequent utilization. Still further, some antennasystems and/or CE devices utilize authentication procedures. Forexample, an antenna system and/or CE device requests authenticationbefore some information, data and/or content is communicated (e.g.,before encrypted data can be exchanged or passed through). Those antennasystems and/or CE devices that do not need to authenticate typicallystart to exchange or pass data after associating and/or coupling withanother antenna system.

As described above, some embodiments are configured to utilize one ormore CE devices that include two or more antenna systems that allow itto wirelessly and inductively couple with two or more different CEdevices. As such, in accordance with some embodiments, wireless powertransfer and/or wireless communication may be daisy chained betweenmultiple CE devices (e.g., between the first and third CE devices 130,132 through the second CE device 131). Further, the second CE device 131can be configured to independently communicate with the first and/orthird CE devices, and/or implement a wireless power transfer to or fromone or both of the first and third CE devices. Power transfer and/orcommunications may be unidirectional or bidirectional depending on anintended operation.

In some implementations, an antenna system allows one or more of the CEdevices to operate without any externally accessible communicationsports and/or power cords. Instead, power and communications are receivedand/or transmitted wirelessly. For example, referring to FIG. 1B, thesecond CE device 131 may receive all operation power from one or boththe first CE device 130 and/or the third CE device 132. Similarly, theantenna systems allow the second CE device 131 to externally communicatewith one or more other CE devices without the need for cable, fiberoptic or other such wired communications. For example, the second CEdevice 131 may be a Blu-ray player communicationally coupled with atelevision (e.g., third CE device 132) to wirelessly communicatemultimedia content from a Blu-ray disc to the television for playbackwithout the need for cable connections or external ports. Similarly, thesecond CE device 131 may receive power to operate from the first and/orthird CE devices. As such, in some implementations, the CE device can bedesigned and assembled without any external ports or connectors, and oneor more antenna systems can be incorporated that allows the CE device toacquire power and communicate with one or more other CE devices. In someembodiments, CE devices and/or one or more communications antennas ofone or more antenna systems in a CE device can operate withoutexternally accessible communication ports, and in some instances allcommunications with the CE device in which the antenna system is mountedare through the one or more communications antennas of one or moreantenna systems.

Still further, in some embodiments, the antenna system can beincorporated into each end of a cable. The antenna systems of the cablecould be configured in a pass-through mode to allow the connectors to bechained. Similarly, such a cable could be used with stacked CE devices,for example, where someone wanted to locate devices on a short shelfwith one or more devices being located beside other devices instead ofon top of them and could be connected with such a cable. It is noted,however, that the antenna systems do not have to be positioned one ontop of the other. In many implementations, the antenna systems of two CEdevices can be arranged in the CE devices to allow the two CE devices tobe placed adjacent to each other instead of stacked.

Some embodiments provide methods of configuring a near field wirelessnetwork, comprising: identifying a plurality of near field wirelessantenna systems including a first antenna system, a second antennasystem and a third antenna system, wherein at least the first antennasystem is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE) device andthe second antenna system is cooperated with a separate second CEdevice, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systems comprises apower transfer antenna and one or more communications antennas, whereinthe power transfer antennas is configured to enable wireless electricalpower transfer between the power transfer antenna and at least one otherpower transfer antenna of another one of the plurality of antennasystems, and wherein each of the one or more communications antennas isconfigured to enable wirelessly transmitting and receivingcommunications with at least one communications antenna of another oneof the plurality of antenna systems over distances consistent with thoseto achieve wireless electrical power transfer through the power transferantenna; receiving wireless coupling parameters corresponding to each ofthe plurality of antenna systems; determining, based on the wirelesscoupling parameters, wireless coupling configurations corresponding toat least the first, second and third antenna systems, wherein thewireless coupling configurations dictate which one or more of theplurality of antenna systems each of at least the first, second andthird antenna systems of the plurality of antenna systems is to directlycommunicate with; and initiating a communication of one or moreconfiguration instructions directing each of the plurality of antennasystems to be configured in accordance with the determined wirelesscoupling configurations.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means ofspecific embodiments, examples and applications thereof, numerousmodifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled inthe art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth inthe claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of configuring a near field wirelessnetwork, comprising: identifying a plurality of near field wirelessantenna systems including a first antenna system, a second antennasystem and a third antenna system, wherein at least the first antennasystem is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE) device andthe second antenna system is cooperated with a separate second CEdevice, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systems comprises apower transfer antenna and one or more communications antennas, whereinthe power transfer antennas is configured to enable wireless electricalpower transfer between the power transfer antenna and at least one otherpower transfer antenna of another one of the plurality of antennasystems, and wherein each of the one or more communications antennas isconfigured to enable wirelessly transmitting and receivingcommunications with at least one communications antenna of another oneof the plurality of antenna systems over distances consistent with thoseto achieve wireless electrical power transfer through the power transferantenna; receiving wireless coupling parameters corresponding to each ofthe plurality of antenna systems; determining, based on the wirelesscoupling parameters, wireless coupling configurations corresponding toat least the first, second and third antenna systems, wherein thewireless coupling configurations dictate which one or more of theplurality of antenna systems each of at least the first, second andthird antenna systems of the plurality of antenna systems is to directlycommunicate with; and initiating a communication of one or moreconfiguration instructions directing each of the plurality of antennasystems to be configured in accordance with the determined wirelesscoupling configurations.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:initiating a communication through power modulation between a firstpower transfer antenna of the first antenna system and a second powertransfer antenna of the second antenna system to acquire the wirelesscoupling parameters corresponding to the one or more communicationsantennas of the second antenna system.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: establishing the first antenna system as a group controllerof the near field wireless network and over each of the plurality ofantenna systems, wherein the determining the wireless couplingconfigurations comprises determining the wireless couplingconfigurations at the first antenna system; and wherein the initiatingthe communication of the one or more configuration instructionscomprises wirelessly communicating at least a first configurationinstruction from the first antenna system to one or more of theplurality of antenna systems.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: generating a graphical user interface based at least in parton the wireless coupling parameters; and displaying the graphical userinterface, wherein the graphical user interface shows communicationalrelationships between each of the plurality of antenna systems and isconfigured to allow a user to interact with the graphical userinterface.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving,through the graphical user interface, modifying instructions instructingthat one or more of the determined wireless coupling configurations bemodified; generating one or more modified coupling configurations inaccordance with the received modifying instructions, wherein the one ormore modified coupling configurations are configured to modify how atleast two of the plurality of antenna systems are to communicate witheach other; and initiating the communication of the modified couplingconfigurations to the at least two of the plurality of antenna systems.6. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining the wireless couplingconfigurations for at least the first, second and third antenna systemscomprises determining the coupling configurations at a remote CE devicethat is remote from and not part of the near field wireless network;wherein the generating the graphical user interface and the displayingthe graphical user interface comprises generating and displaying thegraphical user interface on the remote CE device; and wherein theinitiating the communication of the one or more configurationinstructions comprises wirelessly communicating the configurationinstructions over a distributed network implemented beyond the bounds ofthe near field wireless network to the first antenna system, wherein thefirst antenna system is further communicationally coupled with andconfigured to communicate over the distributed network.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: detecting, after the configuring of thenear field wireless network, an addition of a fourth antenna system of athird CE device; receiving additional wireless coupling parameterscorresponding to the fourth antenna system; determining, based on thewireless coupling parameters and the additional wireless couplingparameters corresponding to the fourth antenna system, modified wirelesscoupling configurations for the fourth antenna system and at least oneof the plurality of antenna systems, wherein the modified wirelesscoupling configurations dictate which one or more of the plurality ofantenna systems and the fourth antenna system each of at least thefirst, second, third and fourth antenna systems is to directlycommunicate with; and wirelessly communicating one or more of themodified configuration instructions directing one or more of theplurality of antenna systems and the fourth antenna system to beconfigured in accordance with the determined modified wireless couplingconfigurations and causing a reconfiguration of the near field wirelessnetwork.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the pluralityof near field wireless antenna systems comprises detecting that thesecond and third antenna systems are within the second CE device;wherein the determining the wireless coupling configurations comprisesdefining the second antenna system and the third antenna system aspass-through antenna systems such that the second antenna system isconfigured to pass through at least some wireless communicationsreceived through the second antenna system to the third antenna systemand the third antenna system is configured to wirelessly retransmit theat some of the wireless communications received from the second antennasystem to another of the plurality of antenna systems cooperated with aseparate third CE device.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining, based on the wireless coupling parameters, that a firstcommunications antenna of a plurality of communications antennas of thesecond antenna system is configured to be utilized in accordance with afirst predefined wireless communication protocol of a plurality ofdifferent communication protocols; determining that a firstcommunications antenna of a plurality of communications antennas of thethird antenna system is configured to be utilized in accordance with thepredefined wireless communication protocol; determining, based at leastin part on the wireless coupling parameters, that the second antennasystem is in wireless communication range with the third antenna system;and wherein the determining the wireless coupling configurationscomprises specifying that the second antenna system and the thirdantenna system are to directly communicate utilizing their respectivefirst communications antennas and via the predefined wirelesscommunication protocol such that the second antenna system is configuredto communicate with the third antenna system utilizing the predefinedwireless communication protocol.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein theinitiating the communication of the configuration instructions comprisescommunicating an instruction to prevent power transfer between a powertransfer antenna of the first antenna system and a power transferantenna of the second antenna system when each of the first antennasystem and the second antenna system are coupled with an external powersource.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the wirelesscoupling configurations comprise: evaluating capabilities of an antennaarray of each of at least the first antenna system and the secondantenna system, identifying communication compatibilities between theantenna array of the first antenna system and the antenna array of thesecond antenna system and defining a first wireless couplingconfigurations configured to establish a communication connectionbetween one or more communications antennas of the first antenna systemand one or more communications antennas of the second antenna system inaccordance to operate in accordance with one or more of thecommunication compatibilities.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein thedetermining wireless coupling configurations comprises: identifying aprevious coupling configuration setting previously stored, wherein theprevious coupling configuration setting defines one or more priorwireless coupling configurations and is associated with each of at leastthe first antenna system, the second antenna system and the thirdantenna system based on prior wireless cooperation between at least thefirst antenna system, the second antenna system and the third antennasystem; wherein the initiating the communication of the one or moreconfiguration instructions comprises communicating the previous couplingconfigurations setting corresponding to the one or more of the priorwireless coupling configurations and directing at least the firstantenna system, the second antenna system and the third antenna systemto communicationally cooperate relative to each other in accordance withthe previous coupling configurations setting.
 13. The method of claim 1,further comprising: detecting an additional fourth antenna system of athird CE device, wherein the fourth antenna system comprises one or morecommunications antennas and does not comprise a power transfer antenna;receiving additional wireless coupling parameters corresponding to thefourth antenna system; and determining, based on the wireless couplingparameters and the additional wireless coupling parameters correspondingto the fourth antenna system, the wireless coupling configurations forthe fourth antenna system and at least one of the plurality of antennasystems, wherein the wireless coupling configurations dictate which oneor more of the plurality of antenna systems and the fourth antennasystem each of at least the first, second, third and fourth antennasystems is to directly communicate with.
 14. An apparatus for use inconfiguring a near field wireless network, comprising: memory storingexecutable code; and one or more processors configured to execute atleast some of the executable code, such that the processor whenimplementing the executable code is configured to: identify a pluralityof near field wireless antenna systems including a first antenna system,a second antenna system and a third antenna system, wherein at least thefirst antenna system is cooperated with a first consumer electronic (CE)device and the second antenna system is cooperated with a separatesecond CE device, wherein each of the plurality of antenna systemscomprises a power transfer antenna and one or more communicationsantennas, wherein the power transfer antennas is configured to enablewireless electrical power transfer between the power transfer antennaand at least one other power transfer antenna of another one of theplurality of antenna systems, and wherein each of the one or morecommunications antennas is configured to enable wirelessly transmittingand receiving communications with at least one communications antenna ofanother one of the plurality of antenna systems over distancesconsistent with those to achieve wireless electrical power transferthrough the power transfer antenna; receive wireless coupling parameterscorresponding to each of the plurality of antenna systems; determine,based on the wireless coupling parameters, wireless couplingconfigurations corresponding to at least the first, second and thirdantenna systems, wherein the wireless coupling configurations dictatewhich one or more of the plurality of antenna systems each of at leastthe first, second and third antenna systems of the plurality of antennasystems is to directly communicate with; and initiate a communication ofone or more configuration instructions directing each of the pluralityof antenna systems to be configured in accordance with the determinedwireless coupling configurations.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, whereinthe one or more processors, when implementing the executable code, arefurther configured to initiate a communication through power modulationbetween a first power transfer antenna of the first antenna system and asecond power transfer antenna of the second antenna system to acquirethe wireless coupling parameters corresponding to the one or morecommunications antennas of the second antenna system.
 16. The apparatusof claim 14, wherein the memory and the at least one of the one or moreprocessors is part of the first antenna system, wherein the firstantenna system is established as a group controller of the near fieldwireless network and over each of the plurality of antenna systems,wherein the determination of the wireless coupling configurations isperformed at the first antenna system, and the first antenna systemcommunicates the one or more configuration instructions to one or moreof the plurality of antenna systems.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14,wherein the memory and the at least one of the one or more processors ispart of a remote CE device that is remote from and not part of a nearfield wireless network, wherein the at least one of the one or moreprocessors of the remote CE device, when implementing the executablecode, is configured to determine the wireless coupling configurationsfor at least the first, second and third antenna systems in configuringat least a portion of the near field wireless network.
 18. An antennasystem configured to operate within a consumer electronic device,comprising: a first power transfer antenna cooperated with the frame,wherein the power transfer antenna is configured to enable at least oneof wirelessly receiving electrical power from another consumerelectronic device and wirelessly transmitting electrical power toanother consumer electronic device; a first communications antennaconfigured to wirelessly transmit and receive communications with one ormore other near field wireless antenna systems cooperated of one or moreremote consumer electronic devices over distances; and a controllerconfigured to: identify a plurality of near field wireless antennasystems including a second remote antenna system and a third remoteantenna system, wherein at least the second remote antenna system iscooperated with a separate second consumer electronic device of the oneor more remote consumer electronic devices, wherein each of theplurality of antenna systems comprises one or more communicationsantennas; receive wireless coupling parameters corresponding to each ofthe plurality of antenna systems; determine, based on the wirelesscoupling parameters, wireless coupling configurations corresponding toat least the antenna system, the second remote antenna system and thethird remote antenna systems, wherein the wireless couplingconfigurations dictate which one or more of the plurality of antennasystems each of at least the antenna system, the second remote antennasystem and the third remote antenna system is to directly communicatewith; and initiate a communication of one or more configurationinstructions directing each of the plurality of antenna systems to beconfigured in accordance with the determined wireless couplingconfigurations.